Arne Slot shows his ruthless side as he reveals BRUTAL reason for subbing Jarell Quansah at half-time – as Liverpool centre back looks crushed on bench in win over Ipswich

Arne Slot has given the brutal reason behind his decision to take off centre-back Jarell Quansah halfway through Liverpool‘s 2-0 win over Ipswich.

The new Reds manager was speaking after a victory in his first game in charge but his side were pushed hard by the Tractor Boys who were playing a top-flight match for the first time in 22 years.

But two goals in five second-half minutes by Diogo Jota and Mohamed Salah settled the contest and the margin could easily have been more emphatic as Liverpool began to purr in the second half and subdued the Ipswich party.

There was the satisfaction of a clean sheet for Slot as his team negotiated what always promised to be an awkward opening fixture at Portman Road and survived a vibrant opening first half by the home side.

And the Dutchman showed his ruthless side shortly after the final whistle, taking aim at Quansah, 21, who he hooked after just 45 minutes.

The defender looked crushed as he sat on the away bench after being subbed at half-time

Liverpool began their 2024-25 campaign by winning away at Ipswich on Saturday

‘First thing I said – we don’t have to speak about tactics if you lose so many duels,’ he said. 

‘Jarell lost every duel, many of us lost too many duels. We needed Konate to win the long balls for the number nine. That gave us control.

‘They put so much energy in the first half, keeping fighting, playing all over the pitch 1 vs 1, I don’t think they could keep up that tempo in the second half.’

Asked whether the decision to take his centre-back off so early was tactical, Slot simply said: ‘Yep.’

Kieran McKenna’s Ipswich players took their cue from a raucous crowd and made a positive start, daring to play out from the back as has been their trademark style on the rise from League One.

Jacob Greaves, on debut, forced the first save from Alisson with a strong header from a free-kick clipped into the box from wide by Sam Morsy. Liverpool’s goalkeeper made another decent first-half save to deny Omari Hutchinson, released on the break by Liam Delap after clearing a corner.

Liverpool’s front four forced errors when they pressed at times, won possession in promising areas and a series of corners but they created little.

Ipswich keeper Christian Walton came out bravely at feet of Luis Diaz, who sniffed a chance to pounce on an interception by Luke Woolfenden, and Trent Alexander-Arnold swept over from 20 yards when would have expected to hit the target, just before half time.

That was about it until the much-improved display in the second half. With Ibrahima Konate on for Quansah at the back, they squeezed further forward and dominated the ball. They passed it more crisply, forcing Ipswich back onto the edge of their own penalty area where they became engaged in some desperate defending.

Diaz beat the offside flag but lobbed over and Jota headed narrowly wide as the pressure began to force openings as the Ipswich adrenalin subsided.

Ibrahima Konate (right, pictured with Alisson) came on for the centre-back at half-time 

Diogo Jota scored the first goal of Liverpool’s Slot era with a sharp finish in the 60th minute

Mo Salah, after assisting Jota for Liverpool’s first goal, scored his team’s second on 65 minutes

Ipswich manager Kieran McKenna waved at the crowd following the final whistle on Saturday

Jota then struck on the hour, a clinical finish to a tidy move down the right featuring both Alexander-Arnold and Salah, who smuggled in Liverpool’s second, five minutes later, linking up with Dominik Szoboszlai and taking advantage of a helpful toe-end deflected off Leif Davis.

There might have been several more. Walton made a fabulous save from Conor Bradley in stoppage time. 

As it was, two proved plenty to give the Reds a winning start although Quansah, who looked crushed as he sat on the away bench, will be left wondering whether he will be involved in a potential title charge at Anfield.